Christian Horner pokes fun at ex-Red Bull star after complaints over treatment

27 April 2023 , 11:40

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Christian Horner was happy to poke fun at Daniil Kvyat (Image: Getty Images)

Christian Horner was happy to poke fun at Daniil Kvyat despite the Russian racer's complaints over the way he was axed by Red Bull.

He spent the full 2015 season with the team and finished ahead of team-mate Daniel Ricciardo that year. He was retained for the following campaign but, just a few races in, the team made the decision to drop him back down to sister outfit Toro Rosso.

Max Verstappen moved the other way and the team has never looked back since. But while the Dutchman's success vindicates that Red Bull decision, Kvyat still feels he was hard done-by.

Speaking on the Track Limits podcast, he said he felt the team was ungrateful for his efforts in a dismal season by Red Bull's standards. He said: "From Toro Rosso to Red Bull, not easy of course. It's a different F1 team, the top and the midfield has a different mentality.

"Also very difficult times for the team. Everyone was very stressed. It was the opposite of now, now they have a dominant car at the time it was one of their worst cars. Christian wasn't happy. Helmut [Marko] wasn't happy. So they were difficult times at Red Bull.

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"So to basically help them get through their sh**tiest times and then they get rid of you... But whatever – it was still a great chapter. I saw how a top team works. The pressure is different there. Everything at stake is different and the politics are also very strong.

Max Verstappen's promotion to Red Bull meant Daniil Kvyat was sent back to Toro Rosso (AFP via Getty Images)

"[Marko] is a big boss. He can be tough. I appreciate always his honesty. Sometimes, of course, I felt a bit betrayed by him. But, you know life happens. It's normal. In the end it's also business, you know? Relationship is good, still to this day, and no big issues."

Despite those words, Horner had no issue with poking fun at the Russian. The Red Bull chief was taking part in a quiz on the team's own Talking Bull podcast, in which he was tasked with identifying drivers past an present through a short audio clip.

Horner immediately recognised the voice – but struggled with which incident it was. He said with a smile: "That was Daniil Kvyat. The question is, where does he crash? Because he had a few of them!"

Daniel Moxon